A Life of Our Own
by Catie-brie
Summary: [Prequel to 'To Meet Again'][Shonen ai]We have a life of our own, but do we use it wisely? Not always. We need the help of our friends, if we abandon them we lose the grasp of reality that is needed to move on, but the shock is worse for those we leave.
1. Chapter 1

_A Life of Our Own_

_Chapter one_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

__

Life is not something to take lightly

_It is not something to be toyed with,_

_But something to be protected,_

_Something to be cherished, and loved-_

_To be placed near the heart._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Yuusuke, Yuusuke- oh Yuusuke wake up!" Keiko whined excitedly shaking the young Hanyou vigorously, causing both the bed and the boy to groan in protest.

"Not now Keiko, it's too early," he mumbled pulling a pillow over his head in a futile attempt to block out his _wife's _voice.

"It is not early you dolt! It's two p.m.! Wake up, I've got important news." She cried frantically, her voice showing that something was going on, but that didn't stop Yuusuke from going back to sleep.

"Yuusuke! Don't ignore me, it's important!"

"Nothing's more important than sleeping in on a Saturday- you can tell me when I wake up."

"But this can't wait!"

"It can, and will." There was no command behind the words- just a gently plea from a twenty four year old teenager. Keiko plopped down beside him and sighed in defeat.

"Fine if I have to wait, I might as well sleep," she mumbled curling up next to Yuusuke who just rolled over and draped a muscled arm over her gently. It didn't take long for the two to fall into a comfortable slumber. But all good things must come to an end- and the demon that woke them happened to be in the form of their telephone.

Keiko groaned and rolled over to get to it, but Yuusuke wouldn't let her.

"Ignore it, it's probably just Kuwabara," he muttered sleepily after the third ring. There was a long pause before the phone began its annoying serenade once again and this time it was the raven-haired boy getting up to answer it.

"Yo," he said trying to muffle a yawn.

_"Hey Urameshi, it's Kuwabara."_

"No duh, what do you want?"

_"Kurama just swung by, he said Botan sent him to gather the gang up, I think it's another mission."_

"What? Damn, it's a Saturday. Can't it wait till tomorrow?" Yuusuke asked through another yawn.

_"Naw, it's Botan and Koenma we're talking about, they like to choose the most inconvenient time to pop things up on us- I thought you were used to that by now?"_

"Where and when do I need to meet with you?"

_"Preferably now and at my house- bring Keiko as well." _And with that Kuwabara hung up. Yuusuke sighed before also hanging up the phone and walking back over to his bed and wife.

"Hey Keiko, we're going to Kuwabara's."

"Err, okay? I'll get dressed I guess, when do we need to get there?" Keiko asked cocking her head to the side.

"About now."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kuwabara was lounging in the living room of the apartment he and his sister Shizuru shared along with Yukina, Kurama, Hiei, Botan, Shizuru and a teenage Koenma; all they needed now was Yuusuke and Keiko and the whole gang would be present. There was a knock on the door and Kuwabara was immediately at the door grinning widely.

"Hey guys, glad you're here," he said letting Keiko and Yuusuke in.

"Hey, man. You know what Botan wanted yet?" Yuusuke asked while trying to force down another yawn. He made his way behind the tall carrot top to the living room where everyone resided.

"No duh, but you'll just have to wait." The raven-haired man sighed before plopping down on the couch next to the vibrant redhead Kurama; Keiko took a seat beside him, and Kuwabara bent down to help Yukina up- both of them were blushing.

"Baby bro, now that we're here, can you tell us what's going on?" Shizuru asked from her relaxed position on one of the two love seats, between the index and middle fingers of her right hand was a slim cigarette smoking slightly. There was a murmur of agreement, even Botan, the supposed host of this gathering, seemed curious as to why she was there.

"W-well," Kuwabara started, his face turned from a look of relaxed joy to a brightly tinted red, "Yukina and I have an announcement to make w-w-e're…." It was clear he wasn't going to get any farther with his little announcement so Yukina took it upon herself to finish it.

"We're engaged," she said also blushing deeply. There was a brief silence in which several of the guests looked over at Hiei worriedly. But the expression he wore was not at all what they expected: he was smiling, and at Kuwabara of all things!

"Jeez man! Why didn't you tell me?" Yuusuke demanded breaking the silence as he jumped up from his seat to give the still nervous Kuwabara a celebratory noogie.

"Urameshi! Cut that out!" He yelped pushing the raven-haired teen off of him- but it didn't take long for him to start laughing. Yukina smiled at their friendly banter but her smile turned into a nervous giggle as she was quickly surrounded by the whole of the female occupants.

"Congrats Yukina! I just knew you two would get together!" Botan exclaimed excitedly.

"So how'd he pop the question?" Keiko asked eager for information.

"Well he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him," Yukina replied sweetly.

"So he used the more popular Western style, ne? That's just so cool!" Botan chirped happily. Shizuru sighed, but nonetheless smiled.

"So this explains why baby bro has been acting so weird lately," she mused taking a long drag on her ever-present cigarette and letting the smoke out in a long snaking cloud that curled up towards the ceiling lazily. Yukina nodded almost unsurely.

"Hiei, you're smiling," Kurama pointed out very amused. "Why?"

"Can it Fox," the petit fire demon snapped. "It is none of your business."

Kurama laughed lightly before getting up to congratulate his friend and teammate.

"Yuusuke, come here!" Keiko whispered from the hallway leading to Kuwabara's living room; somewhere among the excitement she had slipped away from the group of girls and into the shadowy corridor. Yuusuke looked up from his seat between Koenma and Kurama and caught her eyes with his curious ones. She beckoned for him again and he stood up and sauntered over to her.

"What is it Keiko?"

"I need to tell you something, but I haven't had the chance to," she began.

"I'm all ears, besides I don't think they noticed me leave." Yuusuke jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at the scene behind him: Koenma and Kurama had stood up shortly after Yuusuke did and both of them now held a struggling and cursing Shizuru from ripping out the throat of a smug looking a Hiei and a laughing Kuwabara; Botan and Yukina stood in front of her with their hands raised trying desperately to calm the raging girl down.

"Yuusuke, I-I'm—" Keiko took a calming breath and tried again. "Yuusuke, I'm pregnant."

There was a short pause as Yuusuke stared at Keiko in shock.

"WHAT!" He exclaimed suddenly his voice filled with shock and… was that excitement? "That's great! Why didn't you tell me?" Keiko rolled her eyes before starting a little came of 'Guess That Person'.

"'Nothing's more important than sleeping in on a Saturday— you can tell me when I wake up.' Does that line ring any bells?"

"Er," was all the hanyou said before pulling Keiko into a large hug and passionate kiss.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

All action stopped in the living room, and everyone was now staring at the embracing couple with almost identical looks of confusion. Koenma and Kurama's hold on Shizuru loosened, but the once raging female didn't budge. _Did they hear Keiko correctly? Was she really pregnant? Wow, this night was really turning out to be of great surprises._

If only they knew just how true those thoughts were.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Okay, not the best way to start out a story, but I like it! Plus if you read To Meet Again then you know almost everything is going to go down hill quickly- you might as well read that story, I'm pretty fond of it as a whole _

_Also each chapter will start out with a piece of a poem I wrote, the last chapter will... actually no you'll know what will happen when it happens. But what I'm getting at is that the poem is entirely my own!_

_Anyway tell me what you think, I don't mind flames, I don't mind critique (I actually would enjoy it if you pointed things out that I need to work on for me) and really, really don't mind complements!_

Until next time 

_Catie-brie_


	2. Chapter 2

_A Life of Our Own_

_Chapter two_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_But without even realizing,_

_We tear the writhing soul of our enemy_

_Away from its still breathing body-_

_Away from it unaccomplished goals- _

_Devoid of all feeling, even remorse._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Eight months passed by quickly after Kuwabara's announcements and Keiko's news, and nothing out of the ordinary seemed to have happened. Well that wasn't entirely true, Hiei and Kuwabara finally seemed to be getting along; their petty arguments had become less and less frequent until they seemed non existent, and they even talked with each other—though that was very rare.

Keiko's stomach was now a perfect spherical bulge showing that she was on the last leg of her pregnancy, and she had become increasingly moody. Yuusuke put up with it fairly well, and he seemed dead set on making his apartment baby proof, but he had to ask Kurama's for assistance since he had no idea what he actually needed to do. Of course Kurama had helped him to the best of his knowledge, but Keiko still had to redo everything, because both boys had missed several key areas of concern.

Koenma had finally giving Botan a break, and she spent nearly all her time off with Keiko and Yukina helping them with the wedding and baby preparations. Shizuru helped out as well, but for the most part she was trying desperately not to murder her younger brother or the newly befriended Hiei— so what if she didn't have a boyfriend? She was too busy for one anyways, and it wasn't like Hiei or Kurama had a partner yet. Okay, so that wasn't true, Kurama had finally confessed to Hiei about his love for him, and now those two were also together.

Nothing was out of the ordinary, not one thing. Life was perfect and love seemed to be flourishing everywhere—but all good things must come to an end, and their joy met its end all too quickly.

"Urameshi, calm down!" Kuwabara snapped grabbing Yuusuke's shoulders tightly to keep him from continuing his mad frenzy. Surprisingly enough the raven -haired man stopped and he slumped against his friend's firm hold.

"Yuusuke, you're worrying too much, everything will be fine," Kurama said soothingly. They had been waiting at Kuwabara's house for the girls, but for some reason they were horribly late,

"But I want this to be perfect, Keiko will be here any moment, but Botan still hasn't shown up yet!"

"Don't worry Detective, she's here," Hiei said from the windowsill. Sure enough the bubbly Ferry-Girl burst through the front door followed closely by Yukina and Shizuru; all three were carrying large bags stuff full of party goods.

"Sorry we're late, traffic was a bitch," Shizuru said casually. Yukina cocked her head to the side curiously before commenting-

"How can traffic be a female dog?" Kuwabara's sister laughed at the Koorime's innocent words, and Botan sighed before dropping her bag and turning on her heel to face Yuusuke.

"Okay, since traffic held us up we have very little time to get this place fixed up. So let's here your plan, Captain!"

"Botan, you know I'm not good at this sort of thing! Just do what you think looks best, and keep it from looking too girly."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

Twenty minutes later and the plain Kuwabara apartment living room was transformed into something new. Multi colored streamers lined the ceiling, beverages, and snacks lined a fold out card table, balloons found themselves scattered across the floor and the ones filled with helium found themselves stuck up in corners, and brightly wrapped presents were piled up in the only corner unoccupied by balloons. All in all it looked like a full out Western style baby shower.

"Ha, we finished," Botan laughed out triumphantly. There was a light knock on the front door and Kuwabara ran out of the room to go get it.

"And not a minute too soon," Shizuru sighed quietly as Botan returned with a somewhat confused Keiko. But of course she was even more confused when everyone in the room yelled out. "SURPRISE!"

Keiko nearly fainted from shock.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

"Thank you guys so much for doing this!" Keiko explained after two hours of joy filled conversations and opening gifts for her soon to-be-born child. Neither she nor her spouse knew what gender their child was, for they had vowed to keep that a surprise—though Keiko had found Yuusuke looking around for the sheet of paper with all the information on it, but never was he successful.

"No prob," Botan chirped giddily her hands clasped tightly around a can of soda. "It was a ton of fun!"

"Mmhm," Yukina hummed nodding her head in agreement. "Do you know what you are going to name your child?"

"Well if it is a girl we agreed I would name her, and I'm quite found of the name Meiko," Keiko replied quietly.

"And if it's a boy I get to name him, and I like the name Akira," Yuusuke continued happily taking a large swig of beer.

"Those are beautiful names," Kurama commented from his seat on the couch next to a very quite Hiei.

"Thanks Kurama-kun," Keiko said before yawning.

"Yeah, thanks man," Yuusuke said patting Kurama on the shoulder. "Well anyways, I think I'm gunna get Keiko home, she seems pretty beat,"

"Hehehe, I guess I should leave, I didn't get any sleep last night, so I am pretty tired. Thanks again guys!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

"Yuusuke! Phone!" Keiko called from her apartment living room.

"Kay, I got it!" Yuusuke yelled back picking up the handset that rested on the bedside table in their small bedroom.

"Hello this is Yuusuke."

_"Hello Yuusuke, it's Kurama."_

"Hey man, what's up?"

"Botan just informed me of a new mission, and she wanted me to get a hold of you and Hiei so that she could meet up with us about it."

Yuusuke pinched the bridge of his nose irritably before sighing. "Great! How lovely, were and when do I need to meet up with you guys?"

_"In about an hour, near the entrance of the local park."_

"Fine, I'll meet you there, anything else?"

_"Not at the moment, no. See you in an hour."_

"See you then Fox."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

A subtle wind blew, and on it the sent of rain found its way into Kurama's nose. The Silver Kitsune sat on a rough wooden bench with his legs and arms crossed, and head bowed- lost in thought. He was dressed in a white, button up, collared shirt, black pants, and black leather shoes; his hair was pulled up in tight ponytail at the nape of his neck— something he rarely did— but two long locks of disobedient wine flowed gracefully about in the lazy wind, free of all binding.

He was waiting for the rest of his companions to arrive, hoping they would be on time for once, so that they could avoid the oncoming storm. It was funny, how a beautiful day without a single cloud in the sky could turn into a dark, foreboding afternoon so quickly. Kurama briefly thought that he should take this as a sign of what was to come, but before he could get any deeper into that subject he heard the familiar growl of Yuusuke's newly acquired motorcycle. And soon enough the raven-haired man, followed by an ever cheerful Botan, was standing next to Kurama, his black shielded helmet tucked firmly under his arm.

"Yo Fox, how's it going?" he asked casually.

"Fine, I suppose. And how about you?"

"Everything is just great, 'cept it looks like those clouds are gunna produce some major rain, and I have to deal with yet another mission on the weekend." Yuusuke gave a goofy grin before sighing.

There was a brief moment of silence soon broken by a clap of thunder and a peal of gravelly laughter. Kuwabara came into view and Hiei followed behind him; his face was bright red and his hands clasped tightly around the hilt of his katana.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late, but I just couldn't resist taunting the shrimp," Kuwabara laughed ignoring Hiei's infamous death glare.

"If you know what's best, you would keep your mouth shut oaf," Hiei snapped back. It was then the audience of three noticed the twigs sticking out of his gravity defying hair, and began to wonder what really happened.

"What happened to you Hiei?" Yuusuke asked the question bubbling inside the natural curious bunch.

"Nothing of your—."

"He fell out of a tree!" Kuwabara cut in ginning evilly. Yuusuke glanced at the carrot top for a moment before laughter over came him as well. Soon Botan found herself giggling and Kurama had his thumb shoved between his teeth trying hard not to laugh. Hiei glared darkly but somehow managed to keep from murdering the four _idiots _around him. They immediately calmed as another, fiercer, roar of thunder tore through them harshly.

"Damn, that's gunna be one hell of storm," Yuusuke commented rubbing one of his ears tenderly.

"Good thing Koenma needs us at his office, instead of me having to give you the mission details here," Botan chirped clapping her hands together. Before anyone could say anything she was on her knees holding a small purple stone firmly in her hands. She looked around to make sure no one was around before shoving the stone into the soft earth. It cracked, and purple lightning began dance along the grassy floor in a glowing cyclone. The forked, purple strands of light began to weave themselves extremely tight until they formed a temporary portal, and Botan stood up smiling.

"Go on through." Each boy gave her a skeptical look before hopping through; they each landed with a dull thud before Koenma's clutter of a desk nearly knocking the mountain of papers over. Botan landed gracefully a few seconds later a reformed stone clasped in her hand.

"Okay Koenma-sama we're here."

"I noticed Botan, thank you. You are needed by the other soul reapers so I'll leave the explanation up to Shadow, you may leave," Koenma said with a smile.

"Yes sir!' And with that she was gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

_Hello everyone! How's it hangin'? Sorry this chapter was a little boring, but the next will have a ton more action, I promise!_

_But anyways I would like to thank my reviewers, the beings that keep me writing forever and for always! (I'm a little out of it at the moment so don't mind me!)_

_Thank you_

KyoHana, kit-kit, and SnakeDude100

Well till next time. Catie-brie 


	3. Chapter 3

_A Life of Our Own_

_Chapter three_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_We don't pay heed to this enemy_

_We don't hear their cries of agony,_

_But when life is taken from us,_

_We yell at the Heavens for their unfairness._

And shake the 'peoples' fist of rage and Justice 

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"_Shadow_!" Koenma commanded suddenly startling the four men before him.

"I'm here!" A feminine voice snapped. The owner of the voice appeared on Koenma's desk suddenly with her long legs crossed and mouth curved in a goofy grin. Long, dark-purple hair, a violet so dark it could be confused with black, was pulled up in a high ponytail; a mass of ebon-purple bangs fell over one of her piercing, ice blue eyes framed by half-rimmed oval glasses. She was clad in a long sleeve, purple, hooded sweatshirt, black jeans torn at the knees, and thick-heeled, tie-up boots; overall, she looked very American.

"Who's that?" Yuusuke asked cocking his head to the side and placing his black, full cover, motorcycle helmet on the floor.

"This is Shadow_," _Koenma said gesturing to his desk.

"Hey guys, nice to meet you- I'm the head assassin and senior guide round here- you must be the famous Reikai Tentai," the girl grinned and jumped off of the desk and bowed in a single fluid movement.

"Actually Yuusuke is the only real Spirit Detective here, we just assist him with difficult assignments," Kurama explained with a polite bow.

"Oh, makes sense I suppose. Anyways which one of you is Kuwabara?" She asked examining each member of the mismatch group closely. The taller carrot-topped man stepped forward.

"That's me."

"Awesome, I've got great news for you! You are now on vocational leave, thanks to Botan- she said something about wedding arrangements and how she needed to work with you." Shadow gave a congratulatory smile and gave man a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Er, thank you?"

"Meh, no problem," the Reikan laughed, obviously she was in good spirits. "Anyway, since you're not going to be working on this mission, you have the choice of staying or leaving."

"Wait a damn minute!" Yuusuke exclaimed suddenly causing the people closest to him, Kurama and Kuwabara, to jump in surprise. "His wedding is in three months, yet he still gets off. But Keiko is due to have our child _this _month and I still have to go on a mission?"

"Are you the one who has to sit in bed and give birth? No," Shadow said pointedly.

"But I want to be there with Keiko when she does give birth!"

"This mission won't take more than a few days."

"Then why does Kuwabara get off?"

"I don't know, ask Botan!" Yuusuke glared angrily but didn't continue the argument.

"Okay, now that that has been cleared up, here's the mission for you three…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

"Yo, Kuwabara need a ride home?" Yuusuke asked as he pulled on his black helmet. Though the threatening storm clouds remained, it still hadn't rained, but by the sight of forked lightning, and the loud claps of thunder following each bolt it was obvious it would pour down soon.

"Why not walking doesn't seem like the smartest idea anyway," Kuwabara replied glancing up through the green leaves of the park's plant life and at the black sky.

"Cool. Kurama what about you, got a ride?"

"Would I even fit? A motorcycle is built for two, correct?" Kurama asked skeptically. Hiei was long gone, probably having left to find a nice, safe tree to wait out the storm in, not that a tree was that entirely safe.

"We can make room, 'sides it's not a far ride, but it is far enough for you to get completely soaked." There was another loud clap of thunder, one close enough to make Kurama's mind up for him.

"No harm in a little ride I suppose."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

Rain poured down thickly thoroughly soaking the threesome as they hurriedly pushed past a group of chattering schoolgirls and into a local Western diner.

"Man, I'm soaked!" Yuusuke exclaimed dropping down heavily into an over stuffed booth. Kuwabara rolled his eyes as he sat down next to the raven-haired man, and Kurama only sighed as he too took a seat across from the other two boys.

"It seems we won't be able to go anywhere awhile, the storm doesn't look like it will let up anytime soon," Kurama said slowly as a waitress came up and asked if she could get them anything. They ordered a few drinks and waited in silence until she returned.

"So Kuwabara, what chya you gunna do while we're gone?" Yuusuke asked randomly taking a sip of his soda.

"Spend time with my darling Yukina, and try and put up with Botan," Kuwabara replied offhandedly. "You know, I don't see why he needed you three to retrieve this jerk, couldn't he have used someone else? Your mission seems so easy!"

"Koenma works in strange ways," Kurama replied looking out the front window and watched as rain beat mercilessly against it.

"No shit, his fucked up logic is really starting to piss me off." Yet strangely Yuusuke didn't sound angry at all—he just looked tired, almost older his young age of twenty-four. Kurama rolled his eyes at the raven-haired man's selected choice of _colorful_ words. "Anyways, Kuwabara, I have a favor to ask of you.."

"Ask away, man."

"Could you watch after Keiko for me? I've noticed that a few demons have been finding their way from the Makai and they seem to be specifically targeting her."

"Sure thing. Yukina and I am going to be staying at Genkai's for the weekend so she can come along as well."

The waitress was back to refill their drinks, and to check if they were ready to order—they weren't but she didn't seem to care for she was too busy trying desperately not to swoon over the table's occupants.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

"Yukina-chan, Keiko-chan! Isn't this great? We'll get to spend the whole weekend together!" Botan chirped excitedly dancing in between the other, calmer females who only smiled sweetly and nodded. Kuwabara stood off to the size letting the girls talk, but so far, it seemed only Botan was and she seemed on high speed mode, so no one could get a single reply in.

"You seem very high spirited Botan-chan, may I ask why?" Yukina, as polite as ever had been smiling the whole walk from Keiko's apartment to Genkai's shrine, but she hadn't said a word.

"Well other than getting to spend time with you, I'm just so excited over the upcoming events! I mean Keiko's going to have a baby, and you're getting married so soon!"

"Genkai-sempai we're here," Keiko called out as she pushed herself up off the last step of the giant stairway leading to the secluded shrine. She was panting slightly, her newfound bulk weighing her down, and causing her ankles to swell, which made it hard to walk up the stairs. Kuwabara had helped her of course, and for that she was very grateful towards him.

Kuwabara suddenly tensed and motioned for the others to stop.

"Something's not right here, I feel an ominous chill in the air," he said in low towns.

"Oh that's silly, you probably just feel the temperature dropping, it is the end of autumn you know," Botan said nervously as she felt the definite nibble of dread at her stomach.

"No, something's wrong. You three stay here I'm going to check the temple out." Kuwabara ran off leaving the three by themselves.

"Genkai! Genkai! You here?" he called pulling open the paper doors quickly and sprinting inside almost lightning fast. He ran down hallway after hallway pulling open door after door, each action growing more and more frantic as his search was so far fruitless. Finally he came to the last guest room, and the sight before him nearly made him cry out in sorrow. The old, dusty-pink haired lady lay lifelessly in a pool of her own blood, the whole wall at the opposite end of the room was no long there and debris and ruble lay everywhere.

Tears began to well up at the corner of the carrot-tops eyes and he bent down to gently pick up the woman that had served as almost a grandmother-like figure to him, and all the others. As he stood up, holding Genkai's body bridal style, he heard a shriek from the front of the old shrine that made his blood run cold.

"YUKINA!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

"Man this sucks!" Yuusuke mumbled angrily as he, Kurama and Hiei continued their fruitless search for their charge. "Isn't this a job for that Shadow-chick?"

"I agree with the detective, this is pointless," Hiei growled glaring at nothing in particular.

"No matter how pointless this is, we still have to do it," Kurama pointed out almost begrudgingly. He ran a hand through he silky red hair with a sigh, but stopped short of both actions when he saw Botan zooming towards them on her oar.

"Yuusuke! Kurama! Hiei!" She cried out nearly falling off her oar in a desperate attempt to grab their attention, stop, and stem her tears in one move.

"What's wrong?" Yuusuke asked, dread already clouding his mind.

"Genkai... and Keiko… Kuwabara tried to, Genkai gone!" that was all she could get out before breaking down completely. Their eyes widened and Hiei and Yuusuke were gone in a mad rush to get to Genkai's temple. Kurama gently picked up the still sobbing spirit guide and sprinted off in the same direction of the other two.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

"KEIKO!" Yuusuke bellowed as he sprinted up the staircase, Hiei right beside him his face a mask of schooled calm. But that mask broke as they both reached the top and took in the sight before them. The once beautiful and ancient piece of land was completely destroyed, the temple literally shattered, and the ground torn and bloodstained. The bodies of Genkai, Keiko and Yukina lay lifeless, but strangely peaceful with their eyes closed and mouth shut in a relaxed line.

Only two figures stood locked in a fatal embrace, of physical and spiritual swords. There was a flurry of movement as each figure pushed away from each other drawing their swords free of the other's chest. A moment of tense silence followed before they both collapsed to ground almost at exactly the same time.

"NOO! KUWABARA!" Yuusuke cried running over to the sprawled out form of his best friend. Hiei could be seen with his katana unsheathed standing above the demon responsible for the carnage so brutally dealt, and with one smooth movement slit his throat insuring that he never would stand again.

"Urameshi…" Kuwabara croaked. "I'm sorry I couldn't… save Keiko, and Hiei I'm sorry… I couldn't save your sister and… my love Yukina. Please… forgive me. Good… bye…" his voice trailed off and he smiled sadly at the two forms crouched beside him before closing his eyes one last time and completely fading away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

Meh, I told you something would happen in this chapter! And I guess a lot of something did happen… I said that I killed so many people off at one time, and so soon in the story, but if I didn't it would correspond with its sister fic 'To Meet Again'. I'm sad though, that I didn't put a huge amount of effort into this chapter, but I guess that is what happens when it is three in the morning, and your brain is slightly muddled…

Well anyways, I would like to thank my reviewers- all of you being my beloved regulars, from both this story and the sister fic.

KyoHana, kit-kit, and SnakeDude100

I would especially like to thank KyoHana for your words of support and right out praise. Your reviews always make me smile-, as does everyone else's- but you seem to put just a little bit more thought and feeling into yours, and for that I am grateful. Until next time 

Catie-brie


	4. Chapter 4

A Life of Our Own

_Chapter four_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_How is it that we are so numb-?_

_So uncaring so cold-_

_To the suffering around us,_

_But when we experience it,_

_We show great amount of grief?_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_The second Kuwabara heard the girls' shrieks he was gone from the room- so torn and bloodied- with Genkai resting in his arms lifelessly. At that moment in time, adrenaline had pumped through his veins and he could have easily put the fastest human alive- or dead- to shame._

"_Yukina! Keiko, Botan!" he cried out his voice tight and strained. Without a thought towards the beauty or age of the temple, he kicked down the front door as easily as one would through tissue, and rushed through towards the trio of girls. _

_His blood ran cold as he saw Keiko fall to the ground in a bloodied heap and a strange man raise his sword to strike a trembling Yukina. Botan, only a few paces away, noticed Kuwabara first and gave a shrill shriek of anguish when she noticed Genkai held tightly against the gentle giant's chest. The Ferry Girl's sudden out cry distracted the man briefly, but his hesitation was long enough for Yukina to scurry closer to Kuwabara and out of striking range of the crimson-stained sword glowing menacingly in the silvery light of the waning moon._

_The owner of the blade was tall, thin and pale. His long ebony-black hair fell down to his waist in a thick braid, almost completely blending in with his elegant black and silver robe. The most noticeable feature was his bi-colored eyes, one was a deep, hellish crimson and the other was a piercing, ice blue—he was, ironically, Jigoku, the man Koenma wanted Yuusuke and the others to deal with. _

_Kuwabara rushed the last few feet separating him from his fiancée and stood protectively in front of her, Botan was not far behind him, her wide violet eyes watching the demon nervously, who only turned to face the three figures. His lips were curved in a smirk, and his bi-colored eyes shown with a light of superiority that no human should ever be able to muster, but he was no human, he was a youkai of the highest level- and he had murder in his eyes._

_"Botan," Kuwabara hissed out quickly turning briefly to face the said girl, "Go get Urameshi and the others, I'll try and hold him off until you get back."_

_"But Kuwabara—"_

_"Please Botan, just go, I can't protect two people at once!" Botan gave Kuwabara a look of pure fear, and what one would define as the highest class of love for a friend. She nodded, and gave Yukina a similar look before summoning her oar and zooming off._

_"You know she won't get to the Detective on time," The man scoffed his smug smirk still placed firmly on his beautiful face. He took a graceful step forward and Kuwabara and Yukina took a step backwards; they did this several times, playing a fatal game of distance stealing where if the follower didn't stay far enough away from the leader, he would surely suffer death. _

_"Come now! Why back away from the inevitable? You can't beat me, you are only one man."_

_"I may not be able to beat you, but I am not willing to try so long as I am needed as a protector!" Kuwabara growled, not noticing his mistake until it was too late. _

_"Okay then, if you won't fight so long as that girl is here…" Jigoku let his words hang as he disappeared in a blur of black and silver and reappeared behind a surprised and terrified Yukina. Kuwabara snapped around just in time to see the silver blade enter and exit the tiny Koorime in a one fluent movement, and watched in horror as she fell to the ground just like Keiko had so recently._

_"No, Yukina!" He cried out in anguish, he would have fallen to his knees to cradle her head, but Jigoku was only two or three paces away, and that would have been like asking for death. "How could you? She… she didn't deserve to go that way!"_

_"Oh? I believe if I hadn't killed her we would have been playing that stupid little game all day long and never have gotten anywhere." He shrugged nonchalantly before lifting his sword in an offensive gesture, "Now, I believe we have enjoyed idle chatter a little too long for my tastes, so let's us begin shall we?"_

_"Feh, I'll make you wish you were never born Jigoku!"_

_"I doubt that, boy, I truly doubt that."_

Kuwabara Shizuru woke with a start, her chest moved up and down almost feverishly, and tears made hot trails down her cheeks. It had been a long time since a dream like the one that had awoken her so suddenly had plagued her light slumber, and the last time they had been unwanted premonitions.

_Please Kuwabara, be all right. _She thought as the last part of the dream played back in her mind:

Only two figures stood locked in a fatal embrace, of physical and spiritual swords. There was a flurry of movement as each figure pushed away from each other drawing their swords free of the other's chest. A moment of tense silence followed before they both collapsed to ground almost at exactly the same moment.

_"NOO! KUWABARA!" Yuusuke cried running over to the sprawled out form of his best friend. Hiei could be seen with his katana unsheathed standing above the demon responsible for the carnage so brutally dealt, and with one smooth movement slit his throat insuring that he never would stand again._

_"Urameshi…" Kuwabara croaked. "I'm sorry I couldn't… save Keiko, and Hiei I'm sorry… I couldn't save your sister and… my love Yukina. Please… forgive me. Good… bye…" his voice trailed off and he smiled sadly at the two forms crouched beside him before closing his eyes one last time and completely fading away._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Minamino Shiori wrestled with the light sheets of her bed, moaning in her sleep and every once and a while she would cry out. "My Baby, my poor baby!"

_Kurama ran up the old, steep stairs leading to Genkai's temple as quickly as he could, while making sure not to jar the trembling Botan in his arms too horribly. By the Spirit Guide's frantic gibberish he knew that something terrible must have happen, and the sudden appearance of Kuwabara's sister's frantic aura making its way up the same staircase did nothing to ease his already troubled mind._

_"Kurama! Hey fox, hold up a moment!" She called rushing up the last set of stairs in between him and herself._

_"Shizuru, what are you doing here?"_

_"I had a bad feeling, a premonition of sorts- is that Botan?" Shizuru's voice grew tight when she took in the rambling girl curled up against Kurama's chest._

_"I'm afraid so, something has happened, and by what you have just told me, I now worry it might have something to do with your vision."_

Her son, Minamino Shuuichi had been gone for the last few days, and though he did tend to disappear for short, to even long periods of time, she had a feeling that this time, she wouldn't be seeing him again. Streams of fresh tears pushed their way through her closed eyes and made twin streams of heated, crystalline liquid that poured down her cheeks and onto her cushiony pillows.

Unknown to her, a cloaked figure stood by her side, smirking devilishly and grasped in his hand was a gleaming dagger that was posed promisingly above the sleeping woman's neck.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_"…Please… forgive me. Good… bye…" Kuwabara's voice trailed off and he smiled sadly at the two forms crouched beside him before closing his eyes one last time and completely fading away._

Everything around Yuusuke went blank, totally and absolutely disappearing in a shock of reality. It was too much- too overwhelming for his mind to completely take in causing a complete wave of emotionless ness to wash over him. He didn't even notice when Kurama arrived up the stairs carry a shivering Botan bridal style with him; he didn't notice when someone's hands rested themselves on his shoulder, or even when two sets of strong arms lifted him up from his crouched position next to Kuwabara's corpse, and carry him away.

Finally he noticed he was no longer at Genkai's shrine, but instead he was being led into someone's house. He was vaguely aware of two pairs of hands around his arms and he was just barely taking in his surroundings. By the orderly look of everything around him, the only place he could be was at Kurama's apartment- and after several minutes of contemplation the events of the day struck home and he completely and literally broke down, carrying his support down with him.

"Yuusuke-kun, please just a few more steps," Shizuru's deep voice choked out, her own voice trembling, and she sounded as if she would love nothing more than to join the sobbing Yuusuke.

"Where…am I," Yuusuke managed to ask in between uncharacteristic sobs. "Where are… Keiko and Kuwabara?"

"You're at my house," Kurama explained as calmly as he could. "I'll explain everything else once you have calmed down a little."

The raven-haired man looked up at Kurama through pitiful, chocolate eyes, and nodded a little unsurely. It was moments like these that made Kurama just want to take the hanyou in his arms and comfort him, but he couldn't, not so long as he and Hiei were together. But it wasn't that he didn't care for the petit fire youkai, oh no, he truly loved him, but sometimes he wondered if they truly belonged together.

Suddenly the front door opened and Hiei entered followed by Botan currently dressed in her pink kimono that she only wore after guiding souls across the River Styx, both of them looked completely drained, both emotionally and physically. Kurama greeted them with a nod of his head, and then he and Shizuru helped hoist Yuusuke up off the floor once again and into the small living room.

Botan and Hiei followed after a few moments of silence hoping to regain what little sanity they had left, before facing a scene that would surely set them over the edge.

The living room was small, only holding a green, plush love seat, a matching, three-person couch, an ebony wood coffee table, and a grey Sony TV. Sitting with his head buried in his hands and hot tears spilling out through the spaced and shaking fingers, was Yuusuke; Shizuru sat beside him with one of her arms wrapped around his shoulder in a feeble attempt to comfort him- feeble because she too was sobbing, her free hand wiping away her tears as they fell involuntarily. Over to the side Kurama sat slouched in the love seat with his hands tangled through his shock of red hair. His emerald green eyes shimmered with tears that he just couldn't shed; so far he was the only one who hadn't suffered a direct blow from the events that had just transpired.

His logic behind this was that, though he was very close to everyone that had just recently perished, he didn't have bonds as close as the others in the room did- Hiei lost Yukina, his only sibling; Shizuru had lost Kuwabara, her only sibling. And Yuusuke, oh Yuusuke, had lost the most: Keiko, his wife and the child she bore; Kuwabara, his best and oldest friend beside Keiko; and Genkai, his beloved sensei and grandmother type figure. But now that the redhead had run that list through his head, he realized he wasn't the only one who had only suffered an indirect blow, Botan did as well. Even though she was extremely close to everyone, it wasn't as if she had lost a lover of sibling; no, she had lost several friends that could never be replaced, just as Kurama.

A bitter feeling embedded itself deeply into Kurama's stomach suddenly with a warning that said something was wrong his human mother, and he needed to go check on her. No longer did he live with the kind-hearted woman, but she temporarily lived with him as she waited out the renovation being done to her own home

He knew she was probably just taking a nap, and everything that had just recently happened was causing him to be a little paranoid, but he was in no state of mind to ignore any feeling that crept up on him.

The door to the guest room she was staying in was closed tight, so before Kurama entered he rapped his knuckles against the cool wood of the door and called out quietly, but loud enough to be heard through the door: "Mother?"

When no one answered, he gentle pushed the door open. Just as the door was halfway open Kurama stopped and literally fell back into the wall using it as support for his suddenly week knees. As if the door had a life of its own, it opened all the way completely revealing the horrible scene that had Kurama teetering on the edge of sanity and insanity.

His mother lay in bed peacefully enough, or so one would think on a quick passing glance, but at a slower pace one would have seen the hideous blood stains that tainted the snow-white sheets and the floor below in dark crimson splotches, and they would have noticed that the sheets only bulged where the neck was and the rest of the bed showed no sign of having a body in it, but that was because there wasn't a body occupying it, instead the corpse of Minamino-san lay propped up against the far wall completely stripped of her clothing. Written in blood across her chest were the words:

Nous observons vous et le repos, ainsi ne pensons pas que c'est le bout du sang à renverser!

Les Frères d'Immortalité

Kurama immediately recognized the strange wording to be French, and cursed himself for never taking that particular language in college.

Vaguely he heard hurried footsteps approach, and a muffled gasp from his left, where he guessed Botan stood. He felt an arm weave its way around his waist and gently pull him away from the wall and fully on his feet.

"Kurama?" it was Hiei who held him, he could tell by his deep and soothing voice. "Can you walk?"

"Mother." It was a pitiful lament, but it was all he could get out before a wave of darkness over took him, and he fell heavily into Hiei.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Well, I might as well tell you this now instead of later- the next chapter will take place ten years after all the events that have just taken place in the text above. See that is why it's all in italics (this is just everything that has happened after Yuusuke and the rest got their mission).

Oh, I guess you want to know what the above in French meant right?

Well here is the translation!

We are watching you and the rest, so don't think this is the last of the blood to be spilt!

The Immortalité Brothers

_So you see, these little jerks have already made their way into the story._

Oh I must thank my regulars:

KyoHana, kit-kit, and SnakeDude100

_So I guess I'll see you next week!_

Catie-brie

P.S. This is the earliest I have ever gotten a chapter out!


	5. Chapter 5

A Life of Our Own

Chapter five

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Our lives are hypocritical twisters-

They change direction, opinions so carelessly

They are nothing, completely worthless,

And maybe that is why we can,

So easily take the possessions that aren't ours.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What are you talking about?" Hiei growled angrily glaring at a stone-faced Kurama, who was returning the look in a dangerous, yet subtle, way. It had been roughly ten years since the horrible massacre, the events of that day still carved deeply into every person mind left behind, and the demon duo's relationship had all but faltered. More so, Kurama's idea of a breakup was going down the tubes quickly, and being replaced with an all-too-real nightmare

"You heard me," the redhead replied coolly from his perch on a rough wooden bench. The two men were in the central park, deep in the park, away from the prying eyes of a passing ningen—more specifically, a hanyou by the name of Yuusuke (not that he would actually follow them). "It's not working out."

"No shit, Sherlock! Any dumb ass could see that!" the spiky headed fire youkai cried out with more emotion than intended. He was standing rigid as a board, his hands forming small fist beside him. It was sad really, he had been so open when Kuwabara and Yukina had been alive, but after their deaths he had closed back up and reverted to his normal stoic self, completely killing all affection given to him by the kitsune.

"Then why ask?" Kurama snapped in a voice just oozing with venom, and sarcasm, a voice so unlike his usually beautiful silver speech. He was tired, agitated, and a little more hostile than normal, and the way the conversation was going was not helping at all. "Why do you want me to explain myself if you knew so well?"

"Fuck you! Am I just another notch on the bedpost of the Great Seducer Youko? That's all I was, wasn't I?" Hiei snapped back coldly, turning sharply on his heel to leave. "Well fuck you!"

Kurama watched as the black blur of his former lover hopped from tree to tree, unable to move, let alone scream out an angry retort. Even if he had been able to, though, he wouldn't have, for that last comment had hit him with more force than any physical blow would have been able to, and twice as hard as any mental one.

He bowed his head, cradling it tenderly in his slender hands, letting the warm crystalline liquid pour through his slightly parted fingers and onto the mossy ground beneath his feet. He sat like that for well over an hour, the tears never letting up, and his clouded mind never clearing. That was probably why he barely registered soft footsteps as they approached him, or when someone sat next to him. His unawareness of that one person must have been what caused him to jump and fall from his perch in surprise when they lightly touched his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Shuuichi-Kun!" it was a feminine voice, one that clicked as familiar in his mind, and it was apologizing frantically. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you!"

The fox-gone-human brought the cuff of his sleeves to his eyes and wiped away the remaining tears before looking up at the girl. Recognition was hard pressed in his sorrow-racked mind causing him to stare blankly for several minutes before actually realizing who was sitting in front of him.

"Ayumi-Chan?" It was an uncertain claim at knowledge, but correct all the same.

"You remembered me, Shuuichi-Kun!" She exclaimed happily clapping her pale hands together excitedly. She was a thin girl, barely curvy, and not exactly tall, but nonetheless attractive in a cute sort of way. Her mane of wavy hair was as bright as the healthiest carrot, and pulled up in a tight, high ponytail tied off with a thick red ribbon; bright, lime-green eyes peaked through wild bangs and shined with a childish gleam, but in truth she was in her mid-thirties (not that she looked that old).

"What are you doing here?" once again, uncertainty rang clear in his voice- this couldn't be his old colleague; she didn't look to have aged a day!

"This is a public park, I don't see why I need a reason to be here," she chirped back. There was a second of silence as she looked over the slowly recovering redhead, her feature darkened slightly then relit with a new excitement. "You don't seem to have aged a day!

"I could say the same about you." The stale dread in the pit of his stomach turned to an unexplainable cautiousness that came through in his voice.

"Is it really that noticeable?" So she wasn't the only one who felt that the subject was slightly taboo; her tone was a mite unsure, even nervous, but it quickly changed back to its carefree perkiness. "What have you been up to all these years? I mean, one day you were at work and the next your gone for like…ever!"

"Family issues."

"Ten years of family issues?" Ayumi asked skeptically. Kurama went silent, a sign that he really didn't want to talk about it, he even made a move to get up and leave, but was stopped by the worried and over sympathetic look cast his way by the carrot top. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't pry."

"Forget about it," he mumbled back. He then turned his attention upward as bright rays of golden sunlight pierced through both grey clouds and green leaves brightly illuminating the bench and its one occupant. Said occupant cringed and jumped up from her spot, eyes cast warily at the sky, and walked closer to the crouching redhead.

It was then that Kurama noticed a strange aura surrounding her body; it curled and snapped in a protective, yet hostile, way around her body.

"I think I will take my leave now." The Youko once again made a move to leave, but he was stopped again, but by a more physical force.

"Hold on." She grabbed the collar of his shirt and he turned around with his mouth open, ready to protest, but he didn't get the chance. Cherry red lips crushed themselves against satin pink ones in a harsh kiss, a sharp pain erupted from the latter as pointed canines pierced through the soft flesh- and then there was nothing but an overwhelming feeling of ecstasy and an unexplainable bliss.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Yuusuke, I'm back!" Shizuru announced slamming the door to her apartment behind her. For eleven years she and the hanyou had lived together keeping each other from letting go of their existence, reminding each other day after day that life was worth living, and overall just keeping each other company; so no one should be able to blame the brunette for worrying when she didn't get a reply. "Yuusuke?" Still no reply.

Shizuru quickly toed off her shoes and dropped the bags of groceries she had been holding in an attempt to make it easier to hurry down the hallway. She didn't know why she felt so anxious; the boy could have just gone out for the day, but something in her gut told her otherwise. Her unexplained fear turned into reality as she entered her living room where Yuusuke sat Indian style watching bright, crimson blood pour thickly from a jagged cut across his wrist. A crumpled letter lay to one side of the boy, and on the other a brightly stained kitchen knife gleamed threateningly.

"Aw, shit," Shizuru cursed rushing over to Yuusuke. She yanked the bleeding arm away from his limp grasp and wrapped it tightly with a handkerchief she had in her pant's pocket, before scolding: "What the hell were you thinking Yuusuke? You could have killed yourself!"

"That was the point." Yuusuke's tones were cool and border lining on harsh, but there was a fresh under current of sorrow that warned the female of new heartbreak. The older brunette stood up and disappeared, reappearing only a moment later with a roll of bandages, some towels and what looked like a tube of toothpaste. Without a word, she grabbed the wounded arm and untied the tainted white hanky from around the pale wrist of Yuusuke; he didn't utter a word of protest, but he didn't help either. As soon as the bandage was gone blood began to spurt forth sporadically, but it was a much thinner flow than before, and a lot less serious.

"I guess I should be thanking your demon blood." Shizuru said in a voice that threatened to break at any moment. "That wound would have been fatal, and I don't think I could…" That was as much as she could say with out letting the pent up tension free, and tears soon began the descent down her cheeks in warm rivulets.

She quickly averted her gaze from Yuusuke and caught sight of the crumpled letter by his side. She snatched it up and began to read, but after glancing over the first few words she knew there was no way she would be able to understand the context- but that was what worried her the most. The message short, and written in a foreign language- French, the same language that was carved so brutally into Shiori's chest so many years ago.

Another object caught her attention and she reached out to pick it up; it was a Polaroid snapshot Yuusuke's mom Atsuko, her body in a similar state as Minamino-San's had been, but devoid of the carved warning. Without warning Shizuru was sobbing even harder and had enveloped the raven-locked boy in a bone crushing hug that he returned with almost as much force. That sat like that for several moments, enjoying the other's company.

"I'm so sorry Yuusuke. Here let me help you up." Slowly she stood up balancing the weakened boy on her shoulders and led him over to the couch. He fell heavily against the soft material, and watched almost vacantly as the taller female left for the kitchen. She returned a few seconds later holding a couple of beers and a pack of cigarettes.

"Here, catch." She tossed the vices to Yuusuke who caught them easily. He hit the box against his palm curtly to compact the tobacco before pulling out a thin white stick, placed the butt end against his lips and sighed.

"I'm sorry Shizuru," he murmured scooting over so the girl could fit on the couch as well. "It's just so much shit has been going on, and I'm not sure how much more I can take of it."

"You and me both, I'm just glad I got here when I did- how about some TV?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Preference?

"Anything with music is cool- music videos are usually pretty distracting." Shizuru nodded, switched on the TV, and flipped through a couple of channels before dropping the remote in utter shock.

"What the fuck?" Both occupants of the couch cried completely forgetting anything that might have been going through their head at that moment in time. There on the screen was none other than Kurama, a mike held tight in hand as he began a soft, dark melody in tune with the young looking girl beside him.

"Since when was Fox-boy a singer?"

"And who the hell is that girl?"

"And what the fuck are they wearing?"

Oh yes, the outfits. Kurama was clad in tight black leather jeans, thick-heeled boots, and a sleeveless red turtleneck. The girl in the other hand was wearing something a little more revealing. She wore a tight red tub top, a super mini, black leather skirt, matching thick-heeled boots snaked their way up to about mid thigh.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Wow, I'm starting to think I might need to rate this Mature 'cause of language- I'm not sure, but I think I might.

Anyways, this chapter moved a little too quickly for my tastes, but hell that shouldn't matter that much.

Anyways, there was a one-year jump between the break up and the suicide attempt- just wanted to clear that up if it happened to be bugging you.

Well anyways, thanks

KyoHana, SnakeDude100 and kit-kit

You are the guys who keep me writing!

Till next time

Catie-brie


	6. Chapter 6

A Life of Our Own

Chapter 6

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_At least, the world is filled to the brim,_

_With people who think this way,_

_Our lives are not worth nothing,_

_They are worth everything,_

And should not be ours to take,

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"And that was Japan's most popular duo, Kurio Bara!" an overly perky announcer exclaimed as Kurama, and his partner, left the stage.

"That was so cool!" Ayumi chirped happily bouncing behind a lot less enthusiastic redhead, like a puppy. It had been six years since she had 'convinced' him that leaving behind his life to work with her was the smartest thing he could do. Sadly the Youko was now stuck with the Kyuuketsuki youkai, with no hope of leaving for there really wasn't anything to leave for. His life had been nothing but a 16-year session of mourning, with a horrid breakup to boot.

"Mmm," Kurama replied quietly, tiredly- he seemed to always be tired lately.

"Aw, come on- show more enthusiasm!" Bright, lively, lime eyes met dull emerald in a determined glance, but after a moment of apathetic staring, she quickly looked away, sighing; to say she gave up though, would be a lie.

Quickly, but not unnoticed, Ayumi grabbed the base of Kurama's turtle neck a pulled at it firmly causing the startled man to bend over slightly, far enough for the carrot top to press her soft lips his parted ones- once again open to protest. Kurama had long since given up on struggling against the brazen immortal, knowing full well that he could not fight against a kyuuketsuki's kiss, so his mind accepted the wave of ecstasy that washed over him and ignored the coppery taste of blood as it flooded from his pierced lip, into his mouth and onto Ayumi's awaiting tongue.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A normal day in Reikai could be described as one thing- hectic. Ogres and papers usually flew every which way as commands were barked out or a new spirit arrived. Koenma, normally in his natural baby form, would be stamping papers from a mile high stack on his desk, putting them in the not-so-high out going pile located in a basket beside his giant, overstuffed chair. Every hour the in –box would be filled with even more paper work while everything in the out box was taken away; it was a never-ending cycle, one that the Prince of Reikai hated to be a part of.

Well that was Koenma's opinion before he knew what it felt like for everything to be quiet, unmoving and overall unnatural, even for Reikai. No ogres ran around trying to complete the tasks they were given, no one had any paper work for the god, even the normally active spirit guides were under the tense spell of silence.

Shadow sat in a squatted position beside his desk, her ebony-purple hair was down, instead of it usual high throne at the top of her head. She was clad in an all black ensemble, her icy blue eyes were half lidded, but alert and her mouth was set in a grim line, another sign that something was up. Jorge was whimpering on the other side of Koenma, but instead of yelling at him like he normally would, the teenage version of himself kept quite, his eyes locked on the doorway leading to his office.

The soft thumps of running feet caught the trio's attention, and Shadow was up in an instant, her heavy boots thumped against the ground as she raced through the double doors and out into the hallway. Muffled whispers followed by an angry stream of curses wafted through the doors filling Koenma's ears in an incoherent jumble of sounds.

There was a shriek as Ayame burst through the doors followed closely by Lena and Botan, they all bore similar masks of terror, but the blue-haired beauty, Botan was much more calm.

"Koenma-sama! Koenma-sama!" Botan pushed past the other two Spirit Guides and ran up to the God's desk. "They're here Koenma-sama! Shadow went with the others, but I'm not sure how long they'll last- you have to get out of here!"

"No, I have to stay. Ayame, Lena, you and Botan create a portal and get away from here, Jorge go with them."

"But Koenma-sama-" Both the Guide and the ogre began to protest, but were cut off by a harsh glare.

"Don't argue with me, just go!" With one look at the determined set of Koenma's face, the others knew they wouldn't convince him to let them stay.

"Good bye and good luck Koenma-sama." With that three of the five occupants of the room ran to the hidden hallway behind the god, disappearing quickly in a flurry of frantic footsteps; Botan remained her violet eyes brimming over with tears. The teenage god opened his mouth to yell at her to leave, but never got the chance for Botan had hopped over the desk and embraced him, pressing her lips against his in a desperate kiss.

"Aishiteru, Koenma," She whispered before taking off after the other three, but she didn't leave, instead she hid behind the corner formed where the hallway took a sharp turn.

"Aishiteru, Botan." His whisper reached the Guide's ears just as Shadow burst through the double doors her mouth open as if to say something, but was stopped as a silver blade buried itself into her back, followed by several others. She gasped loudly falling to the ground in a crumpled ebony heap before Koenma's desk, her hands grouped painfully before falling limply to the floor. The god was now standing with his slender fist raised in anger and defense as two figures walked into the room; both were clothed in heavy hooded cloaks pulled tightly around their thin forms. Both had a pale arm extended as they began to chant, in harsh tones. As the chants progressed their palms began to glow, only seconds later Koenma lay dead on the cold tile floor.

That was the last thing Botan remembered before she felt a pair of hands grab her and pull her down the hallway gently, but firmly enough to get her unwilling form to move.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shizuru, Yuusuke and, surprisingly enough, Hiei sat around the female of the group's TV entranced by the duo on the screen. It had become almost a tradition for the three to spend the evening watching Kurama and his (in Yuusuke and Hiei's mutually rude words) air headed bitch. This tradition had been going on a full six years, Hiei having joined in after about a year- he had once again started warming up to the two, just as Yuusuke had begun closing himself off.

Suddenly Shizuru grabbed as the sides of her head as an unexpected wave of pain washed over her mind.

"Shizuru?" Yuusuke grabbed her shoulders and shook her lightly. "Hey, what's up?"

She was silent for a moment, still recovering from the sudden assault, but then the cause hit her and she couldn't help but try and keep it to herself. "It…it was nothing."

"I don't believe you." He said flatly, leaving no room for her to hold it back.

"Something just happened, something bad. I…" she paused for a second. "Koenma isn't with us anymore."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Er, I'm not overly fond of this chapter, it's too short and doesn't explain all that much. I mean, it doesn't even have a thousand words! But I just hit a ten-foot thick writers block, so I'm just glad I got this chapter out.

Anyways, you probably noticed that I changed the rating, well I did it for obvious reason- my language was a little too course for a T rating. But I'm going to say thins now- I am not ever going to write a lemon. It just isn't my style so anytime my ratings hit M it just means for language and violence.

So, I hope you liked this chapter better than I did. And I'll see you next time.

Catie-brie

P.S,

Thank you

KyoHana, kit-kit and SnakeDude100

for reviewing.


	7. The end

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Life is not something to take lightly_

_It is not something to be toyed with,_

_But something to be protected,_

Something to be cherished, and loved-

To be placed near the heart.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Umph," Botan grunted as her body hit something hard- she heard another form land only three feet away from her, so she rolled over to see who it might be- it was Jorge and not far from him was Lena and Ayame's unconscious forms. As she took in her surroundings it became clear to her that she was no longer in Reikai, and for that matter Ningenkai, for neither land was a rugged as this one. Streaks of lightning forked across the foreign pink sky, but no thunder followed. The stench of death, one that Hiei had talked so fondly about, wafted about on the subtle wind causing Botan to choke and sputter involuntarily. There was no doubt in her mind as to where they were- Makai.

"Jorge?" She called out meekly as she unsteadily got to her feet.

"Botan? Botan! You're okay!" The blue ogre jumped up from his precarious position no more than half a foot away from a cliff ledge, one of many in the surrounding area, and rushed over to the blue haired girl.

"Oh Kami-sama, how did this happen?" She moaned falling back to her knees tiredly. There was a groan from her right and she looked over to see Lena sitting up, and Ayame stir before sitting bolt upright.

"Where are we?" they asked simultaneously.

"The portal, we didn't activate it correctly did we?" Lena groaned brushing a stray strand of indigo hair behind her ear.

"We're not in Reikai anymore, nor did we transport to Ningenkai, so that leaves only one place, correct?" Ayame asked looking over at Botan for confirmation, she nodded.

"I've been to the Makai with Yuusuke a couple of times, so I know for a fact that's where we are," Botan explained solemnly. There was a moment of silence, suddenly broken by a loud sob.

"He could have- why didn't he…? How could he?" Botan cried pulling her knees up to her chest in an almost protective gesture. She sat like that, crying, for over twenty minutes while the other three watched helplessly. Botan was usually the strong one, having gone through much more than they had, so seeing her so distraught truly worried them.

"Botan, Hun, please stop crying," Lena begged as she put a comforting hand on the sobbing Guide's shoulder. "I know it's hard, we all miss him, but we can't hang around here, it's too dangerous."

"I know, but I'm too…" Botan managed to say weakly before falling over sideways sound asleep. The indigo-haired girl sighed, and would have laughed if the situation wasn't so grim.

"Oh dear, this isn't good," Lena muttered crouching down beside the cerulean haired woman tiredly. "If she's going to sleep, I suppose we need to stay here."

"Is that safe?" Ayame asked also taking a seat on the rock-hard ground.

"I could always stand watch," Jorge pointed out helpfully. Lena and Ayame smiled at him gratefully, before deciding that sleep would be best, and they curled up close to Botan.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_But without even realizing,_

_We tear the writhing soul of our enemy_

Away from its still breathing body-

_Away from it unaccomplished goals-_

Devoid of all feeling, even remorse

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"EEEEEEEEEIIIAAAAA!" Botan jumped up from her curled position on the ground startled by the sudden scream, but the sight before her made her answer in similar fashion. Jorge lay in a mangled heap on the ground only five feet away from her, Lena was in a similar state, and Ayame was teetering on the edge of a cliff, trying desperately to get away from the taller, red-skinned youkai in front of her,

"Ah, the pretty one's awake, Sir," A husky, masculine voice said from behind the cerulean haired girl. She jerked around to face the owner of the voice, and if it were under different circumstances, she would have swooned- he was gorgeous! Long, snow-white hair was clasped at the nape of his neck in a loose ponytail, and bright, narrow green eyes looked at her lustfully from underneath a mass of wild bangs. Pale, slender fingers snaked their way around her waist and lifted her with ease from the ground.

"What are you doing? Put me down!" Botan cried struggling against his strong hold- but it was to no avail for the man had more strength than she would ever possess. There was another shriek as Ayame tumbled over the edge of the cliff, the red skinned youkai laughing the whole while. "AYAME!"

"Shut up, bitch." A third voice said just before everything went black.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_We don't pay heed to this enemy_

__

We don't hear their cries of agony,

_But when life is taken from us,_

_We yell at the Heavens for their unfairness._

_And shake the 'peoples' fist of rage and Justice_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Spirit gun!" Yuusuke cried hitting the SDF officer in front of him square in the face. Five minutes previous, the whole Spirit World Defense Force had popped up on Shizuru's doorstep, accusing the two other occupants, Hiei and Yuusuke, for the murder of Koenma. This on its own had angered the two, but when they were 'forced' to 'subdue' the brunette when she came to their defense, Yuusuke had lost it.

The man rose to his feet shakily, only to be cut down by Hiei's flaming katana. Apathy was the only emotion felt by the two as they watched him fall; he was the last of the officers, the strongest of the squad, but he was still weak and he stood no chance against the two youkai.

"Hiei?"

"What?"

"What's Makai really like?"

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_How is it that we are so numb-?_

_So uncaring so cold-_

_To the suffering around us,_

_But when we experience it,_

_We show great amount of grief?_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Why are we doing this?" Yuusuke asked as he and Hiei exited the Makai equivalent of a tattoo parlor. He was examining the design that had just been etched into the skin of his right hand so painfully just minutes before. It was a black, five-point star with dark thorny vines interwoven around a red-gem-headed dagger plunged through the star at a slight angle, red-ink blood dripped elegantly from the pointed tip- it was there as a reminder of his new occupation.

"Assassins in Makai have a unique emblems that belongs only to them," Hiei explained as he also examined the twin crest on his right hand. "This will forever be the mark of Kokushibyou and Kageboushi."

Yuusuke smiled sadly, but that quickly changed into a devilish smirk as he bent over and kissed the shorter demon fully on the lips. Hiei's already large eyes widened to twice their size before Yuusuke pulled away, still smiling.

"Aishiteru Kokushi-chama," he purred, almost teasingly.

"Don't call me that," Hiei muttered with a blush.

"Aw, are you blushing?" The chocolate-eyed boy teased. Hiei growled and Yuusuke soon found himself pressed roughly against the ground, all the while laughing.

"Come on, I was just messin' with ya. Now, don't you have something to say to me?"

"No," Hiei snapped before pressing his lips against Yuusuke's in a passionate kiss. "I don't need to.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Our lives are hypocritical twisters-_

_They change direction, opinions so carelessly_

_They are nothing, completely worthless,_

_And maybe that is why we can,_

_So easily take the possession that aren't ours._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Come here, Yanagi, I've gotta customer for you," Yoshimitsu, the grey-skinned owner of a Makai inn/bar/whorehouse in the middle of Western country. The blue-headed girl by the name of Yanagi turned around on her heel to face the man; her face was bright red with anger, and embarrassment.

"To hell with the customer!" She snarled, her bright violet eyes flashed dangerously. She let out a yelp as the youki rings around her wrist pulsed painfully.

"You are under my control girl, so you will do as I say!" Yoshimitsu growled back. "And you better smile this time, you ungrateful wench." The squat demon was once again referring to the night that the poor girl had been enslaved, while everyone that had been with her was murdered. The girl was still at a loss as to why she should be grateful; she had lost her freedom that night, which was nothing to be happy about.

"Besides, it's Yuki. You like him- don't you?" Yanagi's glare softened and a light blush crept across her cheeks. Yuki-kun was the snowy-haired, green-eyed beauty that had protected her during that awful night- he was also her best customer.

"Where is he?"

"In your usual room, you better behave yourself Yanagi- I'm warning you!"

"Yeah, Yeah," Yanagi replied as she pushed her way through the throng of oni, and Youkai crowded around the large stage that connected the inn and bar together. She ran up the musty staircase and down the hall, coming to a halt in front of the room at the end of the corridor. She rapped her knuckles against it and waited calmly for a reply.

"Come in." She smiled at his quiet voice and pushed the door open.

"Hey Yuki," she bowed before taking a seat beside the man on the king sized bed.

"Hello Botan," he replied putting an arm around her waist. "Did Yoshimitsu change the outfits again?" Botan blushed and looked down at her lap, embarrassed. She was dressed in loose gypsy like clothing that was see-through at the torso and passed mid-thigh.

"Oh don't be that way, I like it," he cooed pulling her closer to him, and planting a kiss on her neck. The girl's blush deepened and she moved deeper into the embrace.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_At least, the world is filled to the brim,_

_With people who think this way,_

_Our lives are not worth nothing,_

_They are worth everything,_

_And should not be ours to take,_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_14 years later_

"Kokushi- chama!" Kageboushi (Yuusuke) called out, shattering the peaceful night's silence. A tall willow-like tree, to the boy's left, blocked the light of the full moon, covering the parched ground below in wispy shadows. A dark hump uncurled from its resting place between two large branches and took the shape of what looked like a young boy, but the figure had long since passed his adolescent years.

"I thought I told you not to call me that," Kokushibyou (Hiei) growled jumping down from his branch to stand before his taller partner.

"So? I like the name, it's cute," Kage taunted, his large chocolate brown eyes glittered mirthfully, a great contrast to Hiei's narrow, crimson ones.

"It's degrading." Hiei shot back irritably.

"Well I think it's cute, but anyways guess who's coming to the local inn tomorrow night…" One look at his companion's eyes told Hiei exactly who it was, though he decided to play idiot so that Yuusuke could have his fun.

"Who?"

"Kurio Bara! And guess what? I got tickets!" Yuusuke then pulled two slips of paper dramatically from the sleeve of his black jumpsuit-- that mirrored the shorter man's almost perfectly. Hiei's eyes widened in surprise, and he let his mouth drop open, though only for a second.  
"And how did you get those?"

"Well, we kinda have a last minute assignment that has to be taken care of tonight. This is just part of the payment."

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_So why do we take this precious gift_

From those all around us?

_So why do we kill so easily_

_With our own bloodied hands?_

_And what gives us this divine right to judge?_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Ayumi grinned as she peaked through the musty, red curtains that separated the stage from the backstage. The crowd was the largest she had seen since she and Shuuichi-kun had relocated to Makai, and she was absolutely thrilled. One other thing that excited her was that there was an actual stage with microphones and lights, something they hadn't had the luck of running into.

"Hey, Shuuichi-kun! Look at this crowd!" She called out running back to the bathroom-turned-dressing room where her singing partner sat half-heartedly brushing out his long red, silver streaked hair. He looked up and raised an eyebrow at the girl's wide grin that made her green eyes sparkle.

"Is it really that large?" The boy asked setting down his brush and swirling on his chair slightly so that he was now facing the carrot topped Ayumi. She nodded excitedly and tugged him from his seat.

"I didn't expect such a crowd, especially here of all places! Come look!"

"I don't have a choice do I?" Kurama asked with a sigh, the girl shook her head vigorously and pulled the much taller boy towards the antique curtains. Immediately Kurama's sensitive fox ears twitched as they were filled with the mixture of the odd form of music blasting from old speakers and the loud conversations being held before him. Ayumi had been right though, it was a very large crowd, especially for that part of Makai.

"See? It's huge! I haven't seen a crowd this large since Kyoto!" Kurama laughed and pulled the girl back into their dressing room.

"Now you need to get ready, then we can go out and give them a show they'll never forget." Ayumi nodded and pecked Kurama on the cheek before ushering him out of the room so that she could change.

When she left Kurama's smile faded and he sighed deeply. He hated being here, he hated singing, and he hated being under the control of a Kyuuketsuki-youkai, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't bring himself to leave. He wanted to so badly, he wanted to see his friends again, he wanted to be free- but so long as he was with Ayumi that wasn't an option. To bad the kitsune didn't know who all was in the inn that night…

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_We ask these questions with_

_A strongly burning curiosity- _

_A flame of everlasting sorrow and confusion-_

_But in our soul we know that no matter_

_How hard we try we will never know._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

I actually wasn't going to end it here, but I couldn't write this without making it the end- so here it is, I've finally completed it and I hope you enjoyed it, because I surely enjoyed writing it! Also I kept telling myself I wouldn't kill off Shizuru, but how would I pull that one off? Also the Yuki guy isn't extremely important, and if you read To Meet Again you'll notice he wasn't in it.

But in other news- if you have a challenge for me, I will gladly accept it, especially if it is shonen-ai related, or maybe even shoujo-ai, I've never written shoujo-ai before… But I'll write anything you want me to, except for lemons, I just don't do lemons- limes maybe, but not lemons.

So please tell me how you liked it, please! And please send me challenges!

Now I would like to thank my most loyal bunch of reviewers

KyoHana, kit-kit, and SnakeDude100

_Thanks guys for sticking with me!_

_With love,_

Catie-brie


End file.
